1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to baby bottles, and more specifically to fluid delivery apparatus for a baby bottle.
2. Description Of The Related Art
The conventional fluid delivery apparatus for use on a baby bottle is a resilient nipple having a hole in its tip through which fluid is able to pass. Such a nipple is commonly adapted to nest within a threaded annular cap having a central circular opening. This cap is screwed onto the bottle's neck which bears a set of mating threads, thereby securely fastening the nipple to the bottle.
Bottle feeding with a conventional nipple best approximates a mother's breast to a nursing baby. However, this nipple has several drawbacks, one of which usually becomes apparent within a few months of the time a baby reaches the stage where it is able to sit upright. Around that age, the baby is likely to demand an increased flow of fluid from the bottle. And, the mother is likely to be weary of constantly attending to the baby's need to have the bottle tipped at a sufficient angle for proper fluid delivery. It is at this stage that parents most commonly attempt to wean the child from the bottle to more mature methods of drinking liquids such as from a cup or a straw. However, these methods are prone to causing spills, and are therefore only practical under a parent's watchful eye until the child gets a bit older and develops some level of proficiency in their practice.
Spills may be less likely if a covered drinking vessel with a protruding straw commonly known as a "sports bottle" is used, although the straw normally employed in the construction of such bottles is fairly rigid and it projects a substantial distance upward from the vessel's cap. Thus, such a straw presents a hazard to a small child if the vessel is bumped while the child is drinking, or while the straw is close to the child's face. Sports bottles are also usually rather large in diameter and are therefore difficult for a child to grasp.
A great variety of different types of apparatus have been proposed for use by children in that transitional phase between nipple feeding and more mature feeding methods. The elements of these commonly include flexible hoses, various lengths of stiff tubing, nipples with different types of coupling mechanisms for mating with such hoses or tubing, and various clips, clamps and valves. Some are adapted for attachment to a baby bottle, and others are not.
The parent who has a child at the stage where more mature feeding methods can be learned and more sophisticated vessels and utensils can be used, commonly remains in possession of a good collection of conventional baby bottle paraphernalia. This paraphernalia has value in that it is usually very durable, easy to sterilize and quite standardized in the interchangeability of its parts among different brands. Accordingly, it would be very desirable to offer parents a way to continue to use these various interchangeable parts, while weaning the child and teaching the child to practice advanced feeding methods.
As the most natural step in the use of the mouth for a child to learn after nipple feeding is the action needed to draw liquid through a straw, it is to this end that an improvement over the previously available apparatus should be directed. Thus, a device is needed that fits a standard baby bottle, is easy for a child to use and presents no danger to the child in its use. Further, it should be easy to keep clean.